Without Your Magic
by FantasticNic
Summary: Picking up at Fairy Tail 100 Year Quest CH 30 (some spoilers) then breaking off Juvia doesn't have her magic as they battle the guild, Gray said he'd protect her, but some things are out of their control. For FayeValentine00
1. Chapter 1

Team Natsu rushed through the streets of Draseel splitting up to take down as many of their own guild mates as they possibly could. Gray headed through a narrow alleyway tuning into pedestrian foot traffic in a marketplace and realized Juvia was still running alongside, "Hey Juvia, the idea is to defeat our friends one at a time right?" Gray called out to her.

"Yes."

"Then why are you following me?"

Juvia flushed, "because it's been so long since Juvia has been alone with Gray-Sama…"

Gray frowned, "I'm sorry, this is no time to joke around."

"I know," Juvia replied, "Juvia…can't use her magic…right now."

Gray's eyes were wide with shock, "What?!"

Juvia tried to explain as they continued to run through town, "Even when my hypnosis wore off my magic is still controlled by the white mage, Everybody's magic power probably won't be returned unless it's split from the enchantment of the white mage."

Gray then came to a realization, "So that means there's no hope we can increase our strength each time we free somebody."

Juvia's eyes glistened with tears as she asked, "Gray-sama, Juvia can not use her magic, can you protect her?"

Gray glanced over to her as they continued their trek, "Don't leave my side," he ordered.

Juvia smiled, "One more time! Please say that one more time, Gray-sama?"

"As Always, flirting around," a familiar voice called, "I'm getting jealous, baby."

"Bixlow!" Gray shouted noticing the seith mage overhead.

"It's been a while, Gray," Bixlow teased, "don't you remember the battle of Fairy Tail where I beat you to a pulp?"

"In an unfair fight," Gray rebuked, "Will you fight me fair and square this time?"

Bixlow leered at him, "I don't know…."

Just then a sword sliced through Gray's sleeve, "Freed!" he shouted.

"Fairy Bomb Gremlin!" came Evergreen's voice, and the resulting spell knocked Gray back, he landed on his feet and slid in front of Juvia.

"Juvia, go hide somewhere!" Gray shouted, hearing her agree as she disappeared from view into the side streets.

"You who go against the white doctrine," Freed spoke and the others joined in, "We the Thunder Legion will judge you."

"What are you saying,' Gray asked, "you're supposed to be Laxus' cult aren't you?"

"He's busy elsewhere," Freed said in an eerie tone.

Gray missed the lightning dragon slayer sneaking down the side street that Juvia had travelled down, but she was well aware that someone followed close behind her. Fear coursed through her veins as she wove through the citizens, darting down passageways and around corners hoping to put enough distance between herself and her pursuer to hide. A narrow walkway lar just head and Juvia took her chance diving behind the broken fence, her lungs burned as she tried to steady her breathing to avoid drawing attention to the hidden nook she had concealed herself in.

Juvia strained to hear any movement that would tell her if she could relax, but the heavy footsteps just beyond her hideout made her blood run cold. "Come out, Come out, wherever you are…" he taunted, "I know you're here Juvia, and the white mage is none too happy you have escaped."

Juvia sank down behind rubbish piled next to her, trying to be less visible, but a strong hand gripped the back of her coat and pulled her out brining her face to face with Laxus, "there you are."

"Let me go," Juvia screamed wriggling to pull herself from his grasp, "you don't want to do this."

"Oh don't I?" Laxus asked smugly, "you must be punished for your disobedience."

Juvia pushed off of his chest as hard as she could managing to break free from his hands, once her feet hit the street she began to scramble to flee once more. A zap of electricity connected with her back causing her muscles to jerk and fingertips to tingle. Managing a few steps she regained balance and rushed to get away. Laxus laughed behind her and a bold of lighting crashed into her body, her vision blurring and temples throbbing against the aftershocks.

"Do you really expect to get away without your magic?" he questioned walking next to her crumpled body, "I see your body is still especially sensitive to my lightning, it's like all of the pain with none of the retaliation."

Juvia lifted her head only to feel a heavy boot connect with her ribs, "this really isn't even worth my time, let's just go ahead and teach you that lesson so I can find someone that might put up a fight."

Each blow took her breath away, her ribs cracked and her lungs fought to function, spots drifted in front of her eyes obscuring her vision further. Searing pain scorched her face as treads pushed her face against the grit of the ground, blood trickled between her lips as he stomped her head.

"There's no point in continuing this since you can't survive without magic power, you're already fading, you'll be gone before anyone finds you, not that they'll be able to save you." Laxus leered, "goodbye puddle, you're as good as dead."

Juvia sputtered blood onto the ground unable to lift her head at all, she knew his was right. Having her water body was always a great advantage in a battle, but without magic to keep her in control of the unique power she knew she wouldn't last much longer. She wished that she had thought to tell her beloved just how badly she was faring before this had happened, and now they were separated by the distance she'd run and there was no way to tell him now.

She struggled to stay alert, her eyes were heavy and her body grew cold, she could feel the last of her strength diminishing with no magic to rehabilitate her water body. The wetness around her eyes made it harder to blink, her vision was so hazy she couldn't see anything, her lashes tangled with the sticky blood dripping from her wounds. A single thought mocked her from her own mind "Juvia's body is made of water, your physical attacks will not work on me." _Just like that, _she thought bitterly, _without magic Juvia will die, but will it be my injuries or my water body giving in to the magic deficiency?_


	2. Chapter 2

Wendy moved around the city reviving the guild mates her team rendered unconscious, freeing them from the white mage's control. As Wendy helped Romeo to his feet Carla froze feeling a premonition take over. Flashes of Gray, Juvia and Wendy lay out the possibility of a heart wrenching end for one of them, but the outcome was still hazy meaning things could still be changed.

Gajeel's unconscious form hit the ground at Wendy's feet, "take care of this for me," Natsu said with a smile, dusting his hands before heading back into the fray. Applying healing magic Wendy brought Gajeel back to his senses, "Where's Levy?" he asked rubbing his temples.

"We do not have time for that now, I see she will be fine, but another needs our aid now," Carla explained. "Wendy, Gajeel, head that direction and pay close attention, Juvia is there and might be hurt badly if my instincts are correct, I will meet you there as soon as I am able."

"Where are you going?" Wendy called after her as Carla took to the skies.

"I can only sense one possible ending that saves everyone and for that I need to find Gray. Go now, hurry! I am afraid there's not much time!" Carla warned.

Wendy and Gajeel hurried north paying close attention to their senses hoping they would find signs of Juvia, Wendy picked up her scent first, the soft smell of rain lingered through an alleyway until the bitter scent of blood began to cover the delicate fragrance they'd been following. Moving between fences and posts the muddled trail faded and mixed with the grit of the streets, then the smell of rain grew stronger again leading them right to Juvia's crumpled body.

"Rain Woman," Gajeel called diving to his knees to check on her, Wendy's let a teary gasp slip though her lips before she shook the shock away and got to work on the water mage.

The beautiful glow of her healing magic seemed a stark contrast to the bruised and bloody flesh of their friend in the street, both dragon slayers were well aware of how weak Juvia's pulse was, her breathing crackled struggling against the fluids pooling in her airways.

Carla flew over the rooftops and across town as quickly as her wings would carry her as she scoured the ground for any sign of Gray. Carla say bodies lying in a clearing and a cold gust pushed her wings up, surely he must be down there. She dove toward the ground and saw the ice mage standing in the center of the collapsed thunder legion mages, his skin streaked back as he panted to catch his breath. Carla did not stop to explain, instead she swooped him up and headed toward their comrades as he shouted, "Why are you here, where are you taking me I need to find—"

"Juvia, yes I know, there's trouble and I'm hoping we have the means to save her," Carla explained.

As they sped through the city Wendy's magic could be seen lighting up the darkness in a remote area, and Carla pushed as hard as she could to get there even faster. Swooping toward the ground she placed Gray on his feet and watched him stagger toward the group on the ground before him.

Gajeel spoke with a softness Gray had never heard before as he cradled Juvia's head in his lap, "it's gonna be alright Ameonna, we've seen worse than this before and made it thought just fine, you're Juvia you will push through, I believe in you."

"Juvia," Gray whispered hitting his knees next to her, a frosty aura radiated from his body as the color drained from his face. "I-," he choked, "I'm sorry, I was supposed to protect you and I failed." Hot tears fell from his eyes as he reached out, his fingertips brushing her cheek. Her skin was pale and clammy, her lips thin and blue, all of her normal vibrance drained leaving her looking inches from death.

"There's nothing you could have done," Carla said firmly, "your guildmates are crawling all over this town and you were surrounded by the thunder legion, you had no idea she would be in so much danger."

Gray looked up to see Gajeel's cold gaze, "I am as much at fault as you, I was on the other side attacking all of you until a moment ago, I should have stopped this before the white mage ever took over."

Carla cleared her throat, "There's not time for any of that now, we need to figure out what needs to happen to save her before it's too late."

"I have healed her wounds, but her body is so weak, it's like she is fading away right in front of me no matter what I do," Wendy said sounding frazzled. "it feels like her whole body is vibrating when I am healing her, like it's fighting against me, I don't know if it's helping anymore."

"This happened before," Gajeel said, this voice catching in his throat, "not this bad, but close. Master Jose would push the Element Four to their limits over and over day after day trying to get them to be stronger, faster. Everyone could keep this up except Juvia, when she was worn down to the brink of magic exhaustion she'd collapse, throw up, shake, it was like she couldn't control her body when her power was too low. Jose had some creepy old hag looking into it and she came to the theory that Juvia's magic is essentially the opposite of other mages, you have to try to use your powers she has to constantly suppress hers. With no magic in her system at all right now she is reverting to an elemental form. We need to get her magic back to her, but that means defeating the white mage, and I don't know if we have time for that."

"There may be another way," Carla replied, "my premonition showed Wendy and Gray surrounded with a purple light, if we can figure out what spell they were using we might have time to save her."

Wendy's face pulled into an expression of pure surprise, "it's not a spell, it's an enchantment."


	3. Chapter 3

"It's not a spell it's an enchantment."

Wendy pulled a worn leather bound book from her bag and began skimming pages as she flipped through clearly looking for something, "I have been working on enchantments more since the encounter with Irene, I realized that many of these could be useful in dire situations and I remember reading about an enchantment with a lilac aura, if I could only find it."

Gajeel and Gray continued to monitor Juvia's condition both keeping the slightest contact with her skin, urging her to stay with them just a little bit longer. "HERE!" Wendy shrieked holding the book out to them before pulling it back to herself to read aloud to them, "transferal enchantment, to move essence or magic power from one living vessel to another, best done when participants are willing but not required."

"Transferal?" Gray said quietly to himself looking back down to Juvia still laying in Gajeel's lap.

"But would that take all of Gray's magic away?" Carla wondered aloud.

"No." Gray said firmly, "because I don't just have my magic, I have my father's too, and even if it takes everything I have and gives it to her I am okay with that, I owe her my life after what she did for me during the war with Alvarez. She saved me without hesitating even though it meant dying herself, she is only here now because of Wendy and Carla and I won't hesitate to save her now."

Wendy nodded and began reading the pages while Carla looked around the streets surrounding them voicing concern, "We've been lucky thus far avoiding being attacked but I am not sure our luck will hold out."

"Not to mention Wendy was supposed to be helping heal the members and free them from the white mage, " Gajeel added sadly as he helped Gray move Juvia's head from his lap.

Carla shook her head, "I haven't seen anything else that would make me worry about the outcome of this battle, only Juvia stood out as one that is in danger."

"Alright!" Wendy called out, "I can do this, I need you to focus on the magic you are giving up."

"My ice make magic," his voice confident.

"What?" Gajeel asked, "aren't you going to transfer your dad's magic?"

"No, I can't do that to her, it's too temperamental. I had to train long and hard to get control of it, what if she can't handle it and it makes her more unstable?" Gray said, "It has to be my magic, she needs it."

"If you're sure," Wendy asked looking for a final response.

"I'm sure," he said squeezing Juvia's hand, "let's do it."

"Okay, focus on your ice mage magic and I will perform this enchantment, I need to concentrate on this with everything I have so once I start, I won't be stopping."

"Understood," he nodded once more.

Silence washed over the group as Wendy closed her eyes and funneled her energy into the enchantment, her hair began rising and floating around her like a crown as strength gathered, a thin wisp of lilac smoke began to circle and gain momentum. Tendrils of purple reached out latching onto Gray and grew in size, pulsating as they writhed toward Juvia adhering to her temples. The sound of a rustling wind grew around them until it became a full roaring sphere of energy and violet tufts encasing Wendy, Gray, and Juvia.

Outside the enchantment's sphere Carla and Gajeel watched on nervously, a choking sound could be heard from Gray as he struggled to breathe in the whirlwind but he made no effort to stop, the rotation of the sphere continued to grow until even those outside had trouble remaining on their feet. All at once there was a loud crack and the air stood still, the lavender mist settled leaving Wendy and Gray slumped over, Juvia still lying between them.

"Child, are you alright, did it work?" Carla called out rushing to Wendy's side and helping her sit up.

Gajeel moved toward Gray to pull him to a sitting position once more when Juvia sniffed and exhaled loudly, "Did you hear that?" he asked everyone.

"Juvia," Gray whispered running a hand along her arm, "can you hear me?"

Juvia did not stir, but it was clear her breathing sounded deeper and more regular, the group exchanged curious glances as they waited for any sign that the enchantment had worked. After a few minutes Gray looked to Wendy, "Thank you, even if this doesn't work you tried everything. You need to go to the others now though."

"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice strained against the exhaustion she was already feeling.

"There's nothing else we can do, you should at least help the rest of the guild." Gajeel said, "I'll stay here for a while longer with Gray, tell Levy I'll be there soon."

"They're right," Carla added, "this is what I had foreseen, and now there's nothing left to do here."

Ten minutes passed slowly, Gray watched as Juvia's breathing continued to strengthen and he prayed she would wake up, a small sound rattled in Juvia's throat causing both Gray and Gajeel to sit forward straining for another sound. Her lips parted and emitted a soft hum followed by a failed cough. They were too anxious to move, simply sitting over her in anticipation.

Then there was a garbled sound, possibly a word trying to make itself known, they leaned closer their ears nearly touching her face, Juvia shifted slightly, "cold."

"What?" Gray asked softly, "Juvia did you say that you're cold?"

Her eyes tightened before cracking open, "so cold."

"it worked." Gray stammered, "It actually worked."

"Hmm?" Juvia hummed questioning their shock.

Relief washed over them and Gajeel laughed, "well sorry to tell you, you've got ice magic now Rain Woman."

Gray stretched out his hands and tried a spell, "Ice make sword." Dark lines wound their way around his arm and across his torso before he produced an ice sword that did not quite match his usual style. "This will work," he nodded.

Juvia raised a hand in front of her face and turned it to water, "my magic?" she asked clearly confused, but instead of staying clear and fluid a layer of ice crystals formed on the surface almost like a glove over the watery shape below, "Ice?"

"Loverboy here gave you his magic," Gajeel said with a smirk trying to hide the emotion on his face, "so you're gonna be alright now."

"Gray?" Juvia asked softly, "why?"

"I couldn't let you die, you're important to me," he said, "more important than my magic, or anything else."


End file.
